Todd Cunningham, right, is welcomed to home plate after a home run vs. Auburn in last week's NCAA regional. (The Birmingham News / Hal Yeager)Jacksonville State's Todd Cunningham was drafted by the Atlanta Braves as the third pick in the second round of Major League Baseball's draft Tuesday morning, the 53rd player drafted overall.

Cunningham, a 6-foot-1, 205-pounder who won the prestigious Cape Cod League Thurman Munson Batting Championship with a .378 average last summer, played outfield and shortstop this season for coach Jim Case's Gamecocks, but the Braves project him as a third baseman.

A native of Jacksonville, Cunningham batted .359 for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament champions this year. He had 11 home runs, four triples and 17 doubles among his 85 hits.

In his career, he batted .346 with 120 RBIs and 21 home runs.

University of Alabama pitcher Jimmy Nelson was the second player with Alabama connections selected. The 6-6, 235-pounder from Niceville, Fla, went as the 64th pick to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Wetumpka High School's Reggie Golden was picked as No. 65 by the Chicago Cubs. Golden is a 5-10, 220-pound center fielder who is called by one scouting service as a raw talent with a lot of speed and athletic ability.